Long Covid sufferer's call for better support

A doctor from Leeds who developed Long Covid and the debilitating effects of ME has said NHS patients like her have been “left to rot”.

Becky Williams, 34, first caught Covid in March 2020 and has been left house-bound ever since, with her symptoms including extreme fatigue, brain fog and pain.

Dr Williams, who said she had "lost my job, lost friends, lost my independence", has joined about 200 other healthcare workers who have signed a letter calling on the government to provide better support for patients with these conditions.

The Department of Health and Social Care said the government would “ensure patients receive the care they deserve”.

Dr Williams initially developed Long Covid, but for the past two years has also met the criteria for ME (myalgic encephalomyelitis), also known as chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS).

Often developing after an acute viral or bacterial infection from which people are unable to fully recover, ME has many overlapping features with Long Covid.

It is estimated at least 250,000 people in the UK have ME, which affects multiple systems within the body and which can lead to symptoms like fatigue and a flu-like malaise.

Dr Williams said she had signed a letter organised by campaign group #ThereforME calling on Health Secretary Wes Streeting to improve care.

The letter asked Mr Streeting and the government to acknowledge that gaps in NHS care for ME patients were leading to "serious patient safety concerns".

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Source: BBC News, 17 September 2024

Related reading on the hub:

• Building an NHS that’s there for Long Covid and ME
• Top picks: 12 research papers on Long Covid
• It's time to confront Long Covid: An interview with Clare Rayner on why we must keep pushing for research, treatment and prevention
• Healthcare workers with Long Covid: Group litigation – a blog from David Osborn